Ty Listens to Killer Mike's "Michael"

Killer Mike put out a new record a couple weeks ago. I finally got around to digging deep into it a few days ago. Let’s discuss.

The album is called “MICHAEL” and it is as good as I hoped. Killer Mike’s skills are not new to people who have listened to him since he was part of The Dungeon Family. He has this incredible ability to flip his cadence while rhyming. He can start slow and finish fast. Each song on this record shows that off. Killer Mike jumps from all speeds throughout the record. He is one of the best in the game right now. He also has something to say in his songs. He is telling truths. He is calling out the system. He is talking about family, relationships and the good and the bad of both. He calls out the government, the police and everyone else he feels is not up to snuff. The guest appearances on this album are wonderful. Andre 3000 is on this album. I haven’t heard new music from him in forever. It’s great to hear him, hear how excellent he still sounds and how effortless it comes for him. El-P is on a song here and it’s a great RTJ style song he guests on. These two have incredible chemistry and it constantly shows, especially on this track. 6lack is here, and he’s new to me, but I like his voice. He’s a rapper with a silky delivery. He’s like a young Pusha T. 2 Chainz pops up and this dude is underrated. I feel like people don’t take him seriously. They need to start now. He’s awesome. I could say the same about myself and doubting Ty $Ollar Sign. He’s dope. He can flow. This record starts strong, the middle is solid and finishes with a bang.

Killer Mike is at the top of his game. He had really put it all together and it really shows. I wish he was coming closer to STL on his upcoming tour. I’d love to see him perform these songs live. Until then, at least I have this record. It’s pretty awesome.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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R.I.P. Tina Turner

Another day, another legend gone. Tina Turner passed away at 83 years old yesterday.

This one hit almost as hard as Jim Brown. I never really listened to Tina Turner's music, but my mom did. She played it loud and proud in the house growing up. My mom is, and was, a fan of her music and her story. I also remember the movie "What's Love Got to Do With It" playing a lot in my house and my mom watching it a ton.

My mom worked in a battered women and children's center when I was growing up and Tina Turner's story was one that her clients could relate to. Tina Turner was abused to the brink while married to Ike Turner. Ike Turner was a fantastic musician, but he was a total asshole and a miserable human being. He used to abuse Tina Turner mentally and physically. She overcame it all to become an even better artist and person. But Ike, he was a prick. So my mom would show this movie to the attendants of her shelter to give them hope. Or least that was how I saw it as a kid. She wanted these women to know there was more out there than an abusive partner. Tina Turner lived that life and she came out on the other side. Tina Turner also worked with Mel Gibson on a "Mad Max" movie. I mean, she spent an inordinate amount of time with two of the biggest abusers in the business world, and she came out of both very scathed, but stronger and more powerful than she was before.

Tina Turner was an absolute legend in every sense of the word. But she was best known for her music and her dancing. Tina Turner was a powerhouse vocalist. She commanded the stage and took the crowd on a ride with how awesome her voice was. I mean, she had some serious pipes. I have gone back and listened to some of her early stuff, the work she did with Ike, and she was the reason to go watch them live. She was also the reason to listen to their music. She was such a commanding and dominating presence while perming music. When she split and became a solo artist I feel she got even better. She became this ballad singer and she absolutely crushed on her songs. I have seen so many people reposting her singing "Simply the Best" and each time, with each version, it gets better and better. I have been totally blown away at how incredible, and widely loved, she was as a solo artist. I always knew she was amazing, but never really listening to her until now, I missed out on a bunch of stuff I will have to familiarize myself with now.

Tina Turner was also an incredible dancer. That was another thing people talked about when I was younger that I never understood. But now, after going back and watching clips of live performances, it all makes sense. She was an absolute crowd pleaser. She knew what moves to do and when to do them. She would get these well deserved applause breaks after doing some amazing dance numbers.

Tina Turner was one of a kind. There is no one else from her early era to when she ended that was as powerful a stage presence. She rocked the house and was one of the best to ever do it. She will be missed by so many people. The response to her passing has been overwhelming. Rest in Peace Mrs Turner. Go amaze crowds wherever you may be now. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to Lil Yachty's "Let's Start Here"

I've always been on the fence when it comes to Lil Yachty. He will make stuff I really like, then he will make some stuff that is too mainstream. He has this ebb and flow deal with me. Sometimes it hits, other times it doesn't.

I have this deal with a lot of artists. I'm sure other people do too. But I have had lots of people I know, people whose opinion I respect, tell me I have to listen to his new record. I was putting it off for a while. I just didn't think I was ready for it. I also heard it wasn't a rap record, but more of a psychedelic record. I have an odd history with psychedelic music. But I had some time by myself Saturday. I took my daughter to a birthday party, my son was over at his grandparents house and my wife was going out with a friend. So I went on a run and decided to give the record a shot.

I love this album, everyone. I have already gone through the record fully two times. I started to listen to it again this morning on the way to take my kids to school. My son seemed to dig it. My daughter said it sounded weird, but it wasn't bad weird. This was another feather in its cap. The record is called "Let's Start Here". The cover is also wild and I love it. It has all these presumably business people with faces that look like they are melting. They also have these odd permanent smiles on their faces. It is fascinating to look at people. It was scary at first, but now I am all about it. And the songs, these are works of art. I truly did not know that Lil Yachty had this in him.

This record is nothing like he has ever done before. It is so out there and different. He took a big swing and boy did he connect. From start to finish this record hits on every level. The music on this album is dope too. There are big guitars playing some good stuff. It sounds like something from the 70's but modernized. The drums have this rock groove, but also it skews very hip hop. It has the tempo and groove of hip hop. There is bass all over this record and it is great. Some songs are straight psychedelic. Lil Yachty will do some old school singing on these songs and it rules. He crushes the vocals. It is very impressive. There are a few songs where he slips back into hip hop, and it works with the music in the background. He even does some stuff where he is just speaking over instruments and I love it. I'm fully in on this album. I have loved every second of it to this point. I have been telling friends about it. I'm going to tell my dad about it tomorrow, and he is my barometer for how well new music translates to older generations. He is also the one who introduced me to psychedelic music, so I am very interested in his thoughts. But I adore this album. I'm all in. I think it is one of the better records I have heard in a very long time.

My hat is off to Lil Yachty. He has done something highly impressive and innovative here. I am hoping to see him live here in Saint Louis in October because I want to see these songs performed live. I definitely recommend checking this album out. It is great. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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I Miss "MTV Unplugged"

Recently I have gotten into watching old clips of bands I like playing their songs acoustically. I have always liked acoustic music, and to hear a song that is normally done electrically acoustically has always been something I enjoy.

This new passion has sent me down a Spotify rabbit hole that I am totally here for. I am being reintroduced to music that I used to listen to and adore. I heard some stuff from Alice in Chains, a band I don't even like, Nirvana, Tracy Chapman and Lauryn Hill. I have gone back and rewatched Blind Melon and Jay Z do their acoustic stuff. Hell, another band I don't like, Linkin Park, has some dope acoustic stuff. This all led me back to "MTV's Unplugged".

"MTV's Unplugged" one of the better shows that has ever existed. I used to live for this show. I would scout the TV Guide or the channel to see when the next "Unplugged" was coming. This was the best it got, especially after Nirvana showed how great this could be.  This begs the question, why did they stop doing this show? I know that MTV does not show videos anymore. Hell, they don't even show music anymore. Neither does MTV 2 or VH1 or any other "music channel". All these channels are all about reality shows. That is where they get their viewers. There is not a moment when I turn on MTV now and Rob Drydek's goofy internet show is on. VH1 seems to only feature shows about artists or athletes' wives. I don't even know what MTV2 shows anymore. So why not bring back "Unplugged" now? I would have to imagine it would be a humongous hit. When they did Jay Z unplugged it was a massive hit. And they sold a ton of records. They could pounce on the streaming numbers and make vinyls out of these shows featuring some big time artists. Taylor Swift could make a killing doing her new record acoustically. She already has the chops and millions of people would tune in. There are plenty of popular country artists that my wife listens to, and she loves acoustic music, so why not get some of them to do it? I would watch the hell out of someone like The Black Keys or Kendrick Lamar doing an unplugged set. That would be rad. You could even bring some older other artists to do it. I would love to see Talking Heads, or David Byrne, do one of these shows. Get David Gilmour an acoustic and let him rock some Pink Floyd. Foo Fighters would be a massive get, and Dave Grohl already knows how to deal with the whole unplugged thing. Get someone like Tobe Nwigwe to go out there and perform. He would crush. The opportunities are endless. I bet they could also get a bunch of artists to do it for charities they support. That would be cool and helpful. There is no shortage of options to book people to do it. Add on the fact that retro stuff is back in now, people, especially people from my generation, would eat this up. I mentioned making vinyls of these performances, I know all three of my brothers would buy the vinyl of the bands they like doing unplugged shows. I would be interested in the art work involved. The production of the show would be even better now due to advancements in technology. I cannot find a reason not to pursue this.

Bring "Unplugged" back. It would crush and be one of the coolest things MTV has ever done. It would also force them to revert back to music. The timing is perfect. Make it happen. It would be rad. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches Tenacious D Live

Last night I saw Tenacious D at The Factory here in Saint Louis. I'll do a proper review of the venue tomorrow. Today I want to talk about the show last night.

I have not seen The D live since 2002. Back then I saw them open for Weezer and it was pretty awesome. Last night they were the headliner and I am also older and more mature. This was a different experience. The opener was Steel Beans. This was an interesting and decent opener. Steel Beans is one dude who plays guitar, drums and sings. It was fascinating to see him do all this. But I felt like he had to be exhausted after his set. He played for 45 minutes, and it was solid. But some of his songs were a bit long. And he used a ton of distortion, which is smart on his part because it masks mistakes. But the use of distortion made it hard to hear him sing at times. All in all though he was a solid opener. I was never bored during his set. He did a good enough job.

Tenacious D came on stage after about a 30 minute intermission. Again, my expectations were high and different from 21 years before. They absolutely delivered. The set was fast and furious. They must have played something close to 20 songs. Jack Black is a true showman and he controlled the crowd and the stage for their entire 90 minute set. I am endlessly floored by Black. I was saying to my buddy after the show that he is a legit movie star who does music for fun, and he is extremely talented at it. His voice and playing is very good. He can hit some very high octaves. At one point he sang the beginning of "War Pigs" and it was amazing. He showed off his range on "Master Exploder". From song to song, all night long, he was on point. It was so enjoyable. Kyle Gass is the perfect sidekick to Black, and his guitar playing is exceptional. He is so proficient and technical, but he can also have fun with it. When he plays some of his wild solos on his acoustic guitar I am blown away. He is so good at his craft. He is also the perfect foil for all the bits The D do during their live shows. He plays off of Black so well. He performs like a true professional. I loved every second of their time together on stage. The backing band is truly wonderful. The lead guitar player shreds and has some pipes. He played the Devil during "Beelzeboss" and he hit a grand slam, both with his playing and singing. He is no Dave Grohl, but he is a damn good compliment. The bassist kept the rhythm going all night and when he got his chance to solo for the crowd, he was amazing. He was sliding up and down that bass and having the time of his life. It was dope. The drummer was pretty rad as well. He kept the tempo up and the band going strong. He also exploded during his solo. It reminded me of the playing in "Whiplash", except he was having fun playing. His solo was the best of the night in my opinion. He was pounding away on his kit. I was pleasantly surprised at all the love given to the crew throughout the night too.

This was a fun show through and through. It was also fantastic to hear all these songs again. It brought me back to my 20's when I really got into them. But I felt I appreciated it more last night. I got it all right away. I knew the words and was humming along. I was laughing at the jokes within the songs. To hear a song like "Double Team" as a 40 year old, it is so much more funny because I get every single joke within the song. It was great. The fact that The D is famous enough to headline a tour makes me very happy as an adult. I think it is rad that Jack Black and Kyle Gass still like doing this and are willing and able to tour. Neither of them have to do this, they want to do this. That much was apparent watching them perform last night.

I loved this show, the venue was cool, the band was great and I got to see an actual movie star in person. I had a blast. It was more than worth the price of admission and the exhaustion I have today. Good times. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to Codefendants

I mentioned that I was going to write about two new musical artists I have been listening to recently. The second one I will talk about is happening today.

My buddy Kirk, sometimes a contributor to the site and podcast, go running together pretty much every weekend. I look forward to these runs for a myriad of reasons. It is one of the best times of the week for me when we meet up and go outside. We talk about a bunch of stuff when we are out there. It is a great space to vent, catch up and talk about new stuff, or even old stuff, that we are into at the time. One subject that comes up a ton is music. Kirk and I are both music lovers, and the genres we listen to, we are very passionate about. We have some similar interests, but he is more of a punk rock fan and I am more of a hip hop fan. Last weekend when we were out he told me about a new group that he was listening to who he thought I might dig. When I asked him why he thought I'd enjoy it he told me that it was hip hop adjacent. I was intrigued.

Kirk is a NOFX fan. We have talked about the band a good amount. I knew of them when I was younger, but I've grown to know more due to these conversations we have had. He mentioned to me that Fat Mike, a NOFX member, had started a new genre of music called "crime wave". The genre name is rad, and after some research I found out that Fat Mike came up with the term. Kirk also let me know that there was a hip hop artist involved with the new band, and that the other members were pretty good instrumentalists. My family went downtown to watch my son sing the anthem with his school choir and on the way I decided I was going to listen to the band Codefendants.

I was instantly struck by the music. The first song I listened to is called "Fast Ones". It does not start as a punk or hip hop song. Someone is reading poetry over a drum beat. Then it gets more hip hop. A bass comes in and the drum beat gets more rap like. Then the whole group comes in and the song sounds full. It worked. I was hooked. I found myself nodding along like I had heard the song a million times. I was ready for whatever Codefendants had for me.

What I have found that I like most about this band is how different each song sounds. "Fast Ones" is pretty much straight forward hip hop, with a few distinct changes. But the other songs I have heard fluctuate. They have strings in their music. They have a song that has an orchestra playing behind them. They play acoustic music. There is punk. There is rock. They expand genres and that makes them great. The mere fact that they are not handcuffing themselves to one genre is what makes them so intriguing to me. Most artists I listen to stick to their genre. The Black Keys are rock. Kendrick Lamar is hip hop. Gary Clark Jr is blues/rock. But Codefendants can do all of that, and more. This is a talented group of vocalists and musicians. I have been endlessly fascinated by how different each song sounds with each listen. It almost feels like I am hearing new music each time. It amazes me how I can find something new and different I like each time.

These new artists I have been introduced to have been great for me personally. It is getting me out of this music rut I am in. I am forever grateful for advice on new artists to listen to. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to go listen to Tobe Nwigwe and The Codefendants for a while longer. You should do the same. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to Tobe Nwigwe

At the start of the year I made it a point to find new music to listen to. I have been stuck in a rut and I want to get out of it. So far it has been kind of at an impasse, but the past week there has been a change. Thanks to a friend of mine and watching Instagram reels, I have been listening to two new artists that I am really into and I will be spending the next two days talking about each of them. The first one is Tobe Nwigwe.

I was watching Instagram reels the other night, my wife is on a work trip and I have trouble sleeping and watching videos helps me doze off, and I stumbled upon Tobe Nwigwe. The song I heard was called "BRAVO" and it struck me immediately. The video was a tight closeup of his face and he was rapping. I was struck by his voice and the way he flowed. It hit me right off the bat. I dug it right away. I followed him right away and started listening to his catalog on Spotify the very next day. I have been primarily listening to his music, and the artist I will talk about tomorrow, exclusively.

I am really into Nwigwe. He is a Houston born rapper and he has that Houston style, but sped up. You can tell he has the drawl, but the way he raps is really good. His lyrics are packed with words and the words mean something. He isn't rapping about money and chains and cars. Nwigwe is really talking about something. He is putting himself out there and he is nailing it. I took to doing some internet research on him and was very pleased to find out he seems like a very good dude. He was a former football player who had to stop playing after college due to an injury. Instead of letting this sidetrack him he started a non-profit. He worked at that for a long while and then met and started dating his now wife. They decided to do music and they kind of blew up during the height of the pandemic. Now that I know who he is I can remember people sharing a video of him early on in the pandemic that struck me but I never followed up on it. I regret that now. I have since listened to almost his entire catalog and I cannot get enough of it. I mentioned his rap style and that is what makes it so easy to listen to. He is a master at what he does. The beats are an added bonus. The beats are awesome. They are easy to vibe to. They make you want to nod along. I have found myself exclaiming how dope the beats are when I am listening alone in my car. And that is a big deal to me. When I can talk to no one about how great the music I am listening to, that is the best compliment I can give an artist I have just discovered. I find myself, when listening to Nwigwe, having the same feelings as I did when I first heard Run the Jewels. I find myself craving it. I find myself humming the music during the day. My son and I were driving home from his baseball game last night and he was vibing along with me. I love that. I want him to listen to better hip hop and him vibing to Tobe Nwigwe is a good sign. I also read that Michelle Obama is a big fan, which is a humongous feather in his hat.

Go check out Tobe Nwigwe. He is doing something really cool that is also pretty important. I am going to go listen to some more of his music now. I suggest you do the same. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to T-Pain's "On Top of the Covers"

T-Pain rules. I am a fan. I liked his persona and how he carried himself a long time ago, but this dude is super talented. There is a reason he is a professional musician and I have now found it.

His new record, "On Top of the Covers" is amazing. I never really listened to his music prior to this record, but I have heard him on songs where he is featured. I also loved the episode he was featured in on the Netflix show "I Love Pop". He also made autotune what it is today and he has a place in music history. What was so great about his episode of "I Love Pop" was that it let him tell his story. He was also able to show off his singing ability. This was my first inkling that I liked his voice. I heard him singing without any help and it was damn good. Then I was listening to "CBB" recently and Scott Aukerman mentioned T Pain's new covers record. I thought it was a joke because they did a runner about it and then never mentioned it again. But then I was watching Instagram reels the other day, because I'm a hundred years old, and someone shared part of his cover of "War Pigs". I thought it was a one off, or maybe just something he did for fun, but hearing this made me seek out if there was an actual record. And much to my glee there it was. I found it on Spotify and started playing it right away.

I have been blown away by every listen. This record is an achievement. T Pain has some pipes and he showcases that on each and every song, except for the one instrumental, which I do not know if he is playing the instruments, or if he has a backing band. The record starts off with Sam Cooke's "A Change Gonna Come". This is one of the greatest songs to ever be recorded, and to try and cover it has been quite the process. T Pain does an excellent job. When I saw this was the first song I was skeptical, but then I listened and it took my breath away. T Pain nails it. It is one of the better covers of this song. Sam Cooke himself would be proud. T Pain does it justice and then some. He follows that up with "Don't Stop Believing". I am not a fan of Journey, or this song, but T Pain makes me like it. I really enjoy his take on this rock song. From there we get songs like "Stay With Me", "Tennessee Whiskey", "Sharing the Night Together" and the aforementioned "War Pigs". Each song is different and very well done. "Stay With Me" rivals Sam Smith's version. T Pain sings it the same, but brings maybe even more soul. I love this song and I love T Pain's take on it. "Tennessee Whiskey", according to my wife, is like a gospel version of one of her favorite country songs. I was nervous to play it for her, but she said she really liked it. She was humming T Pain's version of it the rest of the day. "Sharing the Night Together" is way more soulful and way more fun that the original. The original is usually the best version, but I prefer T Pain here. And "War Pigs" is rad. I like Black Sabbath. I enjoy their music. But it can be a bit much sometimes. T Pain does this classic song, one of my all time favorites in fact, justice. He crushes the vocals. You can tell he really wanted to show off on this tune. He puts his voice out there for all of us to hear and he is absolutely incredible. I feel like this is a song I can hear over and over again and never get tired of it at all.

I really, really enjoy this album. I'm usually critical of a covers record, but not here. This record rules. This is one of the best albums of 2023, and may go down as one of my favorites of the year. It is number one with a bullet right now. T Pain has done something amazing here and I applaud him for his effort. He hit a homerun here. Go listen to this album right now. It will blow you away. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Let's Talk About the Greatness of De La Soul

I have been going back and listening to a bunch of De La Soul lately. Let’s discuss.

Their music was just added to all streaming services and it has been an absolute breath of fresh air to hear them again. I was a fan of theirs in my younger days. I am lucky enough to have three older brothers who listen to cool music, mostly, and were more than willing to let me hang out with them and listen when I was young. They, along with my dad, really shaped my love for music, and are responsible for my taste in music to this day. I think they would take that as a compliment as well. All three of my brothers listen to hip hop, but my brother closest in age to me guided me the most in my journey. He introduced me to hip hop and has not stopped giving me recommendations since. When I was about 12 or 13 he introduced me to A Tribe Called Quest, who may be my all time favorite hip hop group. My love for Tribe grew from that moment tremendously. I devoured their music. Everything I heard from them blew my mind. Phife Dawg is one of the greatest rappers to ever do it. I was lucky enough to see them perform live on one of their reunion tours before Phife passed away. It was awesome and they were, and still are, awesome.

In listening to Tribe I found out about other groups from their era. I like Black Sheep. Digable Planets is one of the most underrated hip hop groups ever and I may see them live this summer. Queen Latifah is criminally underrated as a rapper. The Pharcyde is dope. I love most of the hip hop from this era. In listening to all these artists I eventually found Native Tongues, which was a collective of these artists. This was the first time I heard anything from De La Soul.

I asked my brother who these other dudes were that were keeping pace and sometimes surpassing Q Tip and Phife. He told me it was a group of three dudes called De La Soul. I immediately started to devour their music. I instantly fell in love. They sounded like Tribe to me, but maybe better as rappers. Q Tip and Phife are otherworldly, but Kelvin Mercer, AKA Posdnuos, David Jolicouer, AKA Truogy the Dove (RIP), and Vincent Mason JR, AKA Pasemaster Mase, are neck and neck. They also had a much better vibe as a group. There was no hiding the fights between Q Tip and Phife Dawg. They were two alphas trying to each run the show. De La Soul never really had that, or at least it never got out of hand. They managed to stick together and make wonderful, classic hip hop for decades. I feel like they don't get the shine that some other contemporaries do. I'm part of the problem here. I could go on and on about Tribe. I cannot do that about De La Soul. What I can do though is vibe out to their music for hours on end. I was listening earlier today and I was so into what I was hearing that my wife had to shake me to tell me to turn it down. She was in a meeting, she works from home on Friday's, and the music was blasting so loud that she couldn't hear her co workers. I was just bobbing head along and cleaning. I was fully immersed in De La's music. They are like the quintessential hip hop group. They are like a vet that a NBA team brings in to help win a title. They are steady. They didn't make bad music. They never sold out. They were ahead of their time. De La Soul was about as solid as it gets not only in hip hop, but in all of music.

De La Soul is one of the greatest groups ever. And now their music is on all streaming platforms. That is a big, big deal. This means a younger group of people will get to experience them for the first time. I hope they are as blown away as I was when I first heard them in the mid 90's. At the very least, with their music now streaming, they will get their due. They will not be underrated anymore. Everyone is going to listen and remember what made them so great and so beloved by their fans. I'm very happy I can listen whenever I want now. In fact, let me go bump some De La right now. I suggest you do the same. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Listens to The Gorillaz "Cracker Island"

The Gorillaz put out a new record last Friday, "Cracker Island". I am a fan and was very excited to hear some new music from them. I have listened to the album from start to finish two full times already and started a third today. Usually when a new album comes out from a band I enjoy I tend to listen to what I consider the hits after one full listen.

The good thing about "Cracker Island" is all the tracks are really, really good. I have not found a song that I want to skip or feel I can just breeze through. I am a Damon Albarn fan as well, and I especially like the work he does with the Gorillaz. This record feels like it is a mix of what made them great when they started in 2001 and what has help them sustain that all the way through to today. From their self titled album, which was all I played when I went to college, to "Demon Days" which showed this band exploring new genres, to "Plastic Beach", which was recorded completely on an iPad to this new one, it has all come together to form something close to a perfect dance pop record.

Like other Gorillaz’s ablum’s, this is not short on big time cameos. Thundercat plays the bass on the opening track and adds some vocals. Thundercat is awesome and anytime he is on a track from an artist I like I get very stoked. Stevie Nicks is on the second track, "Oil". She sounds as great as ever and adds some real rock star vibes. An artist I have never heard of, Adeleye Omotayo, appears on "Silent Running" and I instantly became a fan. Tame Impala and Bootie Brown add a great layer of alternative rock and hip hop on "New Gold". It is currently my favorite track on the album. Bad Bunny, one of the most streamed artists ever, shows up on "Tormenta" and it is the first time I have heard his music and I am dig it. I will be checking out more. The record closes with a feature from Beck, and it is amazing to hear him and Albarn trade vocals back and forth. The music that accompanies the song is really rad too.

The Gorillaz also do songs just the four of them, and there is some very good stuff here. "Tired Influencer" is nice and soft. It has a very cool and calming vibe to it. "Baby Queen" and "Tarantula" are very cool and remind me of old school Gorillaz. And "Skinny Ape" is a very fun very well played song.

Basically, the whole record works on every level. Albarn is a genius and has gotten genius people to work with him on all of their records. I was listening earlier today with my dad and told him that I was never able to get into Blur, try as I might, but I really like Albarn's solo work, but I truly love what he has done with Gorillaz. This whole concept seems odd and pretentious, but it is neither of those things. Instead, this band works. They make great music. Albarn put a gimmick to Gorillaz, maybe to sell the idea, but it has gone beyond any expectations I could have ever had. The gimmick works and does not feel gimmicky at all anymore. I see the videos of the band and I relate the cartoon characters to the music, knowing good and well that it is Albarn and one of the most talented group of musicians I have ever listened to.

"Cracker Island" is an achievement. It is one of the best Gorillaz records to date and one of the better records I have heard in some time. Now excuse me, I am going to listen to the record another time, and then a few more. I suggest you do the same. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Remember When We Danced and Did Not Care Who Was Watching?

Driving to school this morning I was made a witness to something I had yet to see, but was waiting for. My son goes to school early on Thursday's, so it is just my daughter and me for regular dropoff. I usually pick the music because I am an adult and I want to. Sometimes I do let my kids pick, and that happened this morning.

My daughter is really into these Netflix movies called "Zombies". I have only seen bits and pieces of one of these movies. She usually watched them downstairs by herself. This is by choice. I once asked why and she told me she "needs to focus". I cannot imagine the story is that intriguing, but she is 7 and she loves it. I guess there is a ton of music played during these movies as well. She did a one day show choir camp last week and one of the age groups danced to a song from the "Zombies" franchise. When the song came on my wife said that if she had this song she would have gone nuts. That was the song I put on for her this morning.

The song is called "Fired Up". As soon as the song started, she started to vibe out. She was dancing like no one was watching. But I was paying close attention. As soon as the song came on she started to bounce back and forth in her seat. She was going off. She then started to tell me all about the song and the movies. She asked me if I would watch with her. She told me all about the song. I learned everything from who was singing it to how that singer is revealed, spoiler alert, to be an alien. She was amped. Then she went back to dancing.

It was at this moment that I realized she was so into this song that she didn't care what anyone saw. I have had this feeling before. I know you all have had this feeling before. It happens to us all, and it seems to happen more the older we get. Her reaction to this song was like the first time I heard The Black Keys. I didn't care who saw me vibing out and dancing to their music. I went out and learned all the lyrics to every song on every record since then. I even learned some of their songs on guitar. The first time I heard Kendrick Lamar blew me away. I remember just bobbing my head back and forth to "Backseat Freestyle" and thinking it was one of the best rap songs ever created. I still do. That was the mindset my daughter had this morning. It was so awesome to see. She likes certain songs, but not like this. She will listen to Arctic Monkeys or Run the Jewels with me, but she has never reacted to any of their songs the way she did this morning. She will listen to artists like Emmy Meli and Karen O with my wife and I, but has never been grooving like she was this morning. And I am so pleased I got to see it in person. To see her having the time of her life, dancing the way she was dancing, having the time of her life, it made me so happy.

Music is a big deal to me. I love music and have very strong feelings about the music I like. Maybe this was my daughter's way of letting me know she will be the same, and I love that. It is so awesome to see your kids being kids and vibing out and having a good time. It is even better when you can see it in a venue or area you have interest in as well. This was a moment that I will never forget. This is a memory I will have forever and share with everyone close to me. This has made my day and been my favorite moment of 2023. It was the best. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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2022 Top Five - Music

We have 12 days until the new year. 2023 is upon us. Since we are close to the new year I'm going to spend this week doing my best of lists. I'll do music, movies, tv, podcasts and sports. I will do a top 5 like I do every year as well. Take it or leave it, but these are my top 5 in all the listed categories. Today we will start with music.

Music has been different this year for me. I am getting into a territory where I am stuck. I listen to the same stuff over and over. I like what I like. I need to branch out, and that is a goal for 2023 in music for me, but as of now, I am stuck in my ways. My top 5 this year will be different than in the past, but it is still music based.

At number 5 I have my refound love for bands I listened to 20 years ago and stopped for some unknown reason. I may have let my music snobbery get in the way or moved on to something else, who knows. But this year I have found that I like a good amount of the bands from my past. Franz Ferdinand is back in my life. They are rad. They play cool pop music. I saw them in the "Sparks Brothers" movie and that reinvigorated my want to listen to them. I am dabbling with the band Clutch again. They play older blues songs with a heavier sound. They use lots of reverb and distortion while playing classic tunes. They are great. I also got very much back into The Strokes. They are a good band. They are what The Ramones wished they could have been. The Strokes are a much more talented Ramones. I am happy that I let my snobbish ways go and rediscovered these bands. That makes me happy.

At number 4 I got to see Nas and Wu Tang Clan perform live this summer. Busta Rhymes was there as well. This is the perfect concert for me. I feel like they asked 15 year old Ty what he would want to see live. These 3 artists would have been very high on my list. Wu Tang Clan was great. This is one of the best collections of rappers to ever be assembled. Even without some original members, I still got to see Raekwon, RZA and Inspectah Deck. It rules. Nas was amazing. He crushed the venue. The whole crowd was vibing to him when he stepped on stage. He had this incredible presence. It's a show I won't soon forget. And to see Busta, he showed up at the end, that was the cherry on top. It was a dream. I loved this show. I'm glad I went. Now to the album portion of my list.

At number 3 I have "Dropout Boogie" by The Black Keys. The Black Keys are one of my all time favorite bands. I have been in love with their music since I first heard them in 2001. Their sound is unique to only them. People have tried to replicate it, but they cannot do it as well as The Black Keys. That is why I love "Dropout Boogie" so much. It is a return to form. They are going back to their roots on this album. They are more bluesy and rock forward. The reverb and distortion is back. The album is fast and it flows wonderfully. I really enjoy it. I was a little taken aback when I didn't see it on anyone else's best of lists, but that is neither here nor there. "Dropout Boogie" is like going back in time for me in the best possible way.

At number 2 I have "Cheat Codes" by Danger Mouse and Blackthought. This record rips. It is such a good hip hop album. Danger Mouse is continuing to show that he is the best and most versatile producer in the game. He is at the top of the mountain on this record. The production, the beats, the sound, the extra instruments, it all works and blends so perfectly. He is a master of his craft. Speaking of masters in their craft, Blackthought shreds on this album. His rapping is pitch perfect. Verse for verse he is the best one on the record, and this record has a ton of big time cameos. Artists like Raekwon. Michael Kiwaunka and the last known recording of MF Doom. These are heavy hitters, and they are all great. But Blackthought blows them all out of the water. I have these weird feelings where I don't think Blackthought is good anymore, and then I hear something like this. It makes me feel like a dummy. But then I sit back and enjoy it. Balckthought is an amazing artist and "Cheat Codes" further proves that point.

My number 1 album of the year is "Mr Morale and the Bigsteppers" by Kendrick Lamar. This is a masterpiece. Kendrick further proves why he is the best in the game on this album. This record is deep and introspective and overwhelmingly wonderful. This is like an hour long therapy session and Kendrick bares his soul on the album. I must have listened to this record dozens of times but I still find something new and different that I love with each new listen. This is a work of art. This is a masterclass in recording an album. There are no bad tracks. Everything works. The flow of the album, the tracklisting, it is all perfect. The accolades are very, very well deserved. I got to see him while he toured with this album and that was an amazing experience. Kendrick Lamar is the GOAT. "Mr Morale and the Bigsteppers" further hammers that home.

That is it for music. Come back tomorrow for my top 5 movies of 2022. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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DMX Gave Us All a Big Gift with His Version of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"

Last weekend my wife and I went to Memphis. Memphis is our favorite getaway. It is close, there is a ton of cool stuff to do, good food and it is relatively cheap. There are a ton of historical landmarks. On this visit we went to a Grizzlies game, hit up Silky O'Sullivan's, had BBQ and pizza and had a very nice brunch.

In the spirit of the holidays, we did a carriage ride and that is always a good time. We did a longer one this year, an hour, and the driver let us pick the music. He had a bluetooth speaker setup and told us we could play music or have him give us a tour. We have had the tour proper before, so we opted for music. Most of the music being played was Xmas music. My wife loves Xmas music and I find some of it tolerable. There was some hip hop and classic rock in there, but for the most part it was Xmas music.

At one point we listened to DMX, who I have a complicated past with, but I love his music. We did his famous stuff and it was kind of hilarious to listen to this hard core hip hop with a ton of people walking around Beale Street listening to every word. But, like a breath of fresh air, DMX's version of "Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer" came on.

I had never heard this before. I have heard a ton of hip hop artists do Xmas versions of songs. Run DMC is classic. I have heard a ton of others. But hearing someone like DMX, whose voice was so iconic and unique, do this particular Xmas song was incredible. It was also one of the funniest things I have ever heard. First off, hearing that DMX did this song as a dare essentially is amazing. The fact that someone said it would be funny to hear him do this, and then he did it, that makes me happy. Then, when you hear this version of the song sung by DMX, it is stunning. It is typical DMX. He has that gruff, grinding and hard core edge to his voice. But then the words start to come out of his mouth and it is jarring. When he starts to sing it, hearing him say stuff like, "all of the other reindeer/used to laugh and call him names", or "rudolph the red nosed reindeer/had a very shiny nose/", it is simply amazing. It sounds like one of his songs done by the world's best soundalike. It is all DMX, but there are no swear words. There are no dog barking noises. There is no reference to demean anyone. It is non-existent. It is just DMX doing a clean DMX version of this classic kids Xmas song. I did not stop laughing the whole time. I was literally doubled over when it was playing.

After we left the carriage ride and got back to the Air Bnb, I did a ton of research. I found out a ton about DMX recording this song. I watched videos of him doing this song. I read articles about the recording. I was amazed to see how seriously DMX took this insane situation.

I think this may be my new favorite Xmas song. I have listened to it a ton since we got home. I do not listen to a lot of Xmas music when I am home doing stuff, but this version of this song has shown up on a few of my holiday playlists since Saturday. I implore you all to go check this out. You do not have to be a hip hop fan or a fan of Xmas music to enjoy this whole process. I guarantee you will find something to love about DMX doing this type of song. And you will find something to love about his full process. Just putting this in front of your face or ears will bring the most Grinch like person some kind of joy. Go, go check this out now. I know you will love it.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to "Cheat Codes"

I've been in a bit of a personal music rut lately. The only new album that I have been super into is the new Kendrick Lamar. I have been going back to old classics a lot more lately. I feel like, as I get older, newer music just doesn't appeal to me. I feel like I have reached that age where new music sounds different and bad to me. There are some new artists I like, but the stuff my kids listen to, I am not a fan of. But I do have a buddy that lets me know when there is new music from artists I used to listen to all the time is coming out. One such record is "Cheat Codes" by Danger Mouse and Black Thought.

I adore Danger Mouse. Next to Rick Rubin he is the best producer in the game in my opinion. He works with so many different artists and each time a record comes out that he has produced and worked on, I love it. The work he did with Norah Jones is amazing. It is my favorite Norah Jones record. The stuff he did with The Black Keys is great. His work as one half of Gnarls Barkley is timeless. The stuff he did on his own, taking "The Black Album" and "The White Album" and making it work was a true bit of magic.

Black Thought is one of the best emcees to ever do it. The Roots are an all time hip hop group. Part of that is due to the way he rhymes and writes. I feel like Black Thought is a tad underrated which is nuts because he has been doing this at such a high level for a very long time. Black Thought is a true genius and everything he touches seems to work. So put the two of them together on a record, it is bound to work. And boy oh boy does it work.

As I said, I was late to listen, but I feel like I haven't stopped since my buddy brought it to my attention. I listened to the album three times just yesterday and was nodding along each time like it was the first listen. This album works on every level. The production is incredible, as one would expect when seeing Danger Mouse as the producer. The beats are clean, the way it is composed is pure hip hop, the songs mesh so well and the record runs like a well oiled machine. Then you put Black Thought on there as the main rapper, beautiful. His voice is so unique and pure. He sounds like an old head in the new age. He cruises through each song and takes over on some tracks. He is a genius. Then you add on the guest list and that takes this album from great to classic. This is the last record to feature MF Doom, that I know of to this point. It was so nice to hear his voice on an album nearly two years after he passed away. There is a song that features ASAP Rocky and Run the Jewels. That feels like they put this on the record specifically for me. It is my favorite song. Michael Kiwanuka, who is by no means a rapper, shows up and brings a different sound to his song. Raekwon is on a track. I love hearing from him. He seems to be everywhere lately. It also helps that I just saw Wu Tang Clan live and he was there. This record works on every level. It is near perfection. It is one of my favorite albums to come out in the last decade. I knew I was going to dig it, I just did not think it would become this big in my rotation.

While I have my doubts about the current state of music, while I am getting older and what's new is hip and I don't get it, it is nice to have something like this. I love hearing artists I have been following for more than a decade still doing their thing and doing it phenomenally. "Cheat Codes" is rad. Seek this album out for sure. It is definitely worth your time.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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RIP Coolio

Coolio passed away at the age of 59 last night. I was picking my son up from football practice and RD texted me to let me know. I did not believe him at first. I texted him a few times back asking too many questions. While my kid was eating his dinner I did a little internet research, and sure enough, RD was right. I found myself stunned. This is happening far too much lately. Ever since 2020 it seems like people I like, or liked as a kid, are passing away. Biz Markie, Sharon Jones, Phife Dawg, too many to name. And now we have Coolio.

I am a big time hip hop fan. It is my favorite genre of music. I have been listening to hip hop since I was a pre teen. My brothers would have me listen to A Tribe Called Quest, Public Enemy, Kurtis Blow, Erik B and Rakim, a whole slew of legends. When I started to branch out on my own I found a bunch of other rappers I liked. Timbaland and Magoo were big for me. I loved Mase and Puff Daddy. The Notorious BIG is the greatest rapper of all time in my opinion. But when I reached back in the recess of my brain, Coolio was one of the first rappers that really grabbed my full attention. First off he had that wild hair. It was braided, but the braids stayed airborne and he would even fit them through hats when he wore them. But, like most other people, it was the song "Gangsta's Paradise" that really pulled me in. This song was amazing. First off, the beat is a Stevie Wonder song, "Pastime Paradise". My folks listened to a good amount of Stevie Wonder, so I was able to recognize the beat pretty quickly. But it was Coolio's voice that really pulled me in. He was rough, but not DMX, another rapper we lost too soon, rough. He was smooth, but not Biggie smooth. Coolio had his own voice. It was different and unique and cool. I was instantly in. I went out and bought the single. I saw the movie "Dangerous Minds" simply because "Gangsta's Paradise" was the main song in every trailer. I learned every word so as not to mess it up when I would sing it.

I was all in on Coolio after this song's release. I even got mad at Weird Al when Coolio got inexplicably mad at him for doing "Amish Paradise". But they squashed whatever fake beef they had, so it was cool for me to listen to Weird Al again. But it wasn't just "Gangsta's Paradise". Take a song like "Fantastic Voyage". He samples the song with the same name from 1981, but Coolio made it hip. He made it fun. It was a hit. There is the song "1,2,3,4 (Sumpin New)". This song is dope and he has what I perceive to be a Michigan football jersey on in the videos. That makes it so easy for me to be a fan. "C U When U Get There" came out when all rappers were doing ballads, but Coolio did it the best. He had a way about him. He was like a good Biz Markie. And that isn't to say that Biz Markie was bad, he was kind of corny. Coolio could do goofy raps but get away with it because he was wildly talented. I understand that these are his biggest hits, and it sounds cheesy to remark on them, but they were hits for a reason, especially considering my age at the time of their release. He also did the theme song for "Kenan and Kel", which was required viewing for me.

Coolio also acted. He was in "Batman and Robin", which is too perfect. He appeared as himself in "Leprechaun in the Hood". Again, perfect. He did spoof movies. He did "Daredevil", so superhero movies as well. He was in cheesy sci-fi movies. It seems like he knew what he was good at, what would sell tickets, so he went with it. He also did TV. He was in "Martin", "Kenan and Kel", "The Nanny", "Fear Factor", "Futurama" and "Black Jesus". He also had his own cooking show. Again, he knew what he was the best at, so he went for it. Coolio also won a Grammy, American Music Award and three MTV VMA's. The guy had a long and successful career. It is a shame that he has passed away.

This one hurts. Coolio was a big part of my growing love for hip hop. He was one of the first artists that really pulled me in and it stuck. Coolio will be severely missed. Rest In Peace.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to "The Mars Volta"

Today I decided that I was going to listen to the new Mars Volta record. I had been putting it off for a bit. I really like Mars Volta. I enjoy their music. I have seen them live before and it was a great show. But their older music used to meander a lot. They would put out an album that would be over an hour long but only have eight songs. I liked parts of each song but there would be other parts that felt superfluous. I would find myself skipping to the parts I liked and going over the stuff that felt unnecessary. So I had reservations about the new album. I also decided to not read much about it because I knew I would listen to it one day. And as I said, that day was today. It was this morning in fact, when I was bringing my kids to school.

I am here to say that this new record is my favorite. It is very, very good. The very first thing I noticed was the song length. No song goes over four minutes. The record has fourteen tracks and it clocks in forty-four minutes and some seconds. I feel like the time off really let them hone their craft. The band sounds awesome. Cedric Bixlar-Zavala's voice is as great as it has ever been. He has a very unique, very distinct sound. He may be an acquired taste, but I like the band's music and I especially like Bixlar-Zavala's voice. He sounds great. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez is back and better than ever. He is one of the greatest guitar players that has ever walked the Earth. He is wildly underrated too. No one ever talks about him when they talk about the best current guitar players. He sounds incredible on this new record too. I feel like he does a bunch of extra stuff here too. He is multi-talented. He is like Johnny Greenwood. I started listening to this band because of him. He is awesome. The rest of the band is up to the task. The bass sounds phenomenal. The drums are the perfect prog rock sound. The keys and horns are pretty dope. It all works to perfection. They compliment Bixlar-Zavala and Rodriguez-Lopez masterfully.

Back to the song length. As I stated before, they really tighten it all up on this new album, which is called "The Mars Volta". I turned it on and was waiting to see how long the first song was going to be. When it was less than three minutes I thought, oh, one short song and the rest will be six plus minutes long. But then the next song was a shade over three minutes long. Then another three minute long song. Then a two minute long song. Needless to say, the longest song on the record is four minutes and thirteen seconds long. That is perfect. I like my music to be nice and short. Four minutes long is right at that edge, and The Mars Volta ride the line to perfection here. It is such a great revelation for me as a fan. Now they just do all the great stuff without the unnecessary jamming. It is the way it should be.

If you are a fan, as I am, I definitely suggest checking out this new record. It is tremendous. It is quite an accomplishment.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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A Night With Nas and Wu-Tang Clan

Last night I got to see Wu Tang Clan and Nas on their New York State of Mind tour. Saint Louis was their first stop and a buddy of mine wanted to go. He asked if I was interested, and you better believe I was fully in. Nas and Wu Tang are two artists that I have always wanted to see live but never had a real chance. The last time Nas was in Saint Louis was in the 90's. As for Wu Tang, who knows when they were last playing live shows in STL. But they were here last night. In fact this was the first stop on their tour. They opened the whole thing here in Saint Louis. I was champing at the bit to see what this whole show would entail.

When we got there, the show was at Riverport, or as it is now known, Hollywood Casino Amphitheater, where there was a DJ playing. I have been to shows where the DJ is the headliner and also the opening act. This DJ, DJ Scratch, was very good at his craft. He was great at scratching, kept the crowd involved, played great tunes and did some wild stuff on the turntables. He has also produced records for members of Wu Tang, so you know he has credentials. He got on stage for 45 minutes and rocked the crowd the whole time. I did not know what to expect next. I have now been to three concerts since the start of the pandemic and each one has started right on time. And like clockwork, Wu Tang walked on the stage right at 9pm. I was impressed at the impeccable timing. They proceeded to play for 25 minutes, and it was one hit after another. I was impressed at how good they still sounded. They kept the crowd involved. They talked in between songs. Each of the emcees got their own chance to shine. The RZA did his verse from "Bring the Ruckus", and I was in heaven. It was a thing of beauty. The RZA is my favorite member. I did not know who I would see, but I was pleased. The only two original members that are still alive that were not there last night were Method Man and Redman. Every other living member was on that stage. Even ODB's son, YDB, joined the band on stage. I was hyped to watch them perform. Nas joined them after 25 minutes to perform a song. This ruled. He came on stage and crushed. I figured he was going to walk off stage and let Wu Tang finish their set. He did not. Wu Tang left the stage and then Nas performed for 25 minutes. He was amazing. I was more on the Wu Tang side as to who I wanted to see most, but Nas ended up impressing me the most last night. He went from song to song like the pro he is. The screen in the background was showing old music videos of his. It was very cool to see him perform and then look at a much younger version of himself. Nas was incredible. I could not have been more impressed watching him perform. Then, after the first 25 minutes, Raekwon and Ghostface Killah came back on stage and did a few songs together. Then the rest of the Wu Tang clan, minus the RZA, got back on stage and did another 25 minutes. Again, it was hit after hit. I was amazed at how they kept the show going and how each performer did their thing. After Wu Tang did a second 25 minutes, Nas came back out. He proceeded to do all his hits. It was amazing. He was simply wonderful. I could not have been vibing more. Nas did 25 more minutes and then thanked the crowd for coming out. I loved that each headliner did their thing for two seperate 25 minutes or so sets. I also loved that each group had a wardrobe change between each set. Most of the guys had a totally different outfit on for their second set. The night seemed to be over. The stage went dark, but I figured it was done. Then Busta Rhymes came out and did a few songs. It felt like I was in eighth grade again, listening to some of the first hip hop artists I discovered. It was a tremendous open to their tour and a great, great show.

I am so happy I got to see these legends perform live. What a great night of live hip hop.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Kendrick Lamar is Great. Kendrick Lamar Live is the Greatest

I need to catch you all up on some stuff I have seen live and watched streaming for the past two weeks. I have been so focused on football that all this stuff had to wait. But I'm back to tell you about all the cool shit I have been doing for the past couple weeks.

Last Sunday I went to Kansas City to see Kendrick Lamar live in concert. This is an artist I have always wanted to see. Kendrick is the best rapper alive, in my opinion. He is at the top of the game, doing it better than anyone else and may go down as the greatest emcee to ever do it. He is a wonderful, introspective rapper who talks about real life stuff. His new album, "Mr Morale and the Big Steppers" is a massive achievement on every single level. So the opportunity to see him tour that album, and play older stuff, this was a can't miss thing for me.

I was utterly blown away by what I saw. He had two openers, Tanna Leone and Baby Keem. I know of Baby Keem because he is on the new Kendrick album. I had never heard of Tanna Leone, except for the one track he is on Kendrick's new record. He does well on that song, and his 15 minute set was solid. He did about five songs and each had its own charm. When Baby Keem came out, the crowd went nuts. He played for about 30 minutes, and it was hit after hit. He is a very, very solid rapper. I found myself bobbing my head along and vibing with the crowd. I have since listened to some of his stuff at home and found myself really enjoying it. But the reason we were all there, the guy who we all wanted to see, got on stage around 9 and proceeded to crush for the next 90 minutes. Kendrick Lamar is a genius. He is such a great performer, writer and, now, an instrumentalist. He opened his set playing the piano. I looked at my brother and said, "I didn't know he played!". We were both hyped. He also had a ventriloquist doll on stage that looked like him. He performed the song to the doll, then to the crowd. It was wild and I loved every second of it.

From there on out it was one of the greatest shows I have ever witnessed. I don’t know if it was because I hadn't seen a live show in over two years, or if it was just his genius. It was probably both. Kendrick Lamar did hit after hit. He sprinkled in tracks from older records and a bunch of his new songs. He brought, both Baby Keem and Tanna Leone on stage with him. He did hits like "DNA", "HUMBLE", "backseat freestyle", "Money Trees" and "swimming pools (drank)". I have always wanted to hear those songs live, and I finally did. They were amazing, He had dancers with him, and when they all danced to "HUMBLE", that was a once in a lifetime thing for me to see. The songs off the new record, I mean, he is such a pro they sounded like classics already. He had the crowd in the palm of his hand all night. We were singing along. When he asked just the crowd to sing, we knew every word. He put on a show too. This was not just about the music. I mentioned the doll, but there was so much more. He had a medical tent that was used for a few songs. There was fire and fake explosions on stage. The stage was humongous and went into the crowd. At one point a part of the stage lifted up about 15 feet into the air. The dancers were incredible. He did songs as if he were speaking to a therapist. He had a bed on stage for a track. He would disappear into the floor of the venue from time to time. The images displayed on the video screen were in perfect sync with whatever song he was performing. When we left the venue my brother and his buddy said it was more like a play than a concert. I couldn't have agreed more. It was truly a show.

I have been to a good amount of live shows before but I have never seen anything like this. There is a reason he is so great at what he does and why he can sell out these big venues. The place was packed and we all had a great time. And I didn't even get COVID. This whole evening was everything I wanted it to be, but it was so much more too. I highly, highly recommend seeing Kendrick is you are a fan and you have the means and he is coming near your hometown. I drove four hours to see him and I'd happily do it again. This show was amazing and I will never forget it. Kendrick Lamar is the man.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Let's Make Movie Soundtracks Great Again

Over the last few years I have taken an interest in collecting physical media. It started with vinyl records, moved into Blu-Rays and 4K DVDs and now includes comic books. I have a running list at a local comic shop and a local record store for things I am looking for. The comics are easy, it is mostly stuff I read as a kid in the 1980s. The DVDs I collect are a mix of new and classic movies. The vinyl records, my most prized collection, are made mostly up of movie soundtracks, and I am finding that almost all of my wants come from films prior to 1990s.

What happened to the movie soundtrack? Now I know some of you are out there are saying, '“All movies have soundtrack, they have an Oscar for film score.” Yes, I know, but I am not talking about score, I’m talking about songs. The only current director I can see doing a proper playlist for his movies is James Gunn. Both “Guardians of the Galaxy” movies and “The Suicide Squad” have killer soundtracks that help tell the story of those movies. I also own all three of those records. All the other modern movies, and I am using the word modern to represent the entirety of the 21st century, have a score and one song that usually plays over the end credits. We can do better than that.

Back in the 1980s every movie had a soundtrack with songs, and many of these songs became instant classics. Try to imagine “Rocky III” without “Eye of the Tiger”. I bet you are humming the beat right now. There is no “Top Gun” without Loggins explaining a highway that leads to the “Danger Zone”. “The Karate Kid” is not only one of the greatest love stories ever, but it also reminds you that “You’re the Best” around and ain’t nobody gonna take you down. We learned in the mid eighties that “The Power of Love” is our key to getting “Back to the Future”. Before Optimus Prime fell in battle, he had “The Touch”. Not all of these movies are great, actually yes they are all great, but these songs are timeless bangers.

The movie soundtracks were not always populated with original music. The aforementioned “Harold and Maude” used music that was already popular. “The Lost Boys” used music from The Doors. “Vacation” used a Lindsey Buckingham B-side. Weird Al leant “Dare to Be Stupid” to a particularly stupid part of “Transformers: The Movie”. Even today, James Gunn uses classic songs from a bygone era to back his superhero spectacles much like the iconic soundtrack to “Dirty Dancing” and “The Big Chill. All these movies owe part of their legacy to the music supervisors who crafted these iconic albums.

Many of the movie soundtracks from the past are as important, if not more important, than the films they back. “Purple Rain” the album is “Purple Rain” the movie. The collection of Cat Stevens songs that accompany “Harold and Maude” bring an extra melancholy and quirkiness to another one of our greatest love stories. The Blondiesqu and rockabilly in “Streets of Fire” is one of the few redeeming spots in a mess of a movie. Many of these movies may have been lost to time if it was not for their epic soundtracks.

We need to bring back the classic movie soundtrack. Scores are great, but remembering my favorite movie scenes through songs with lyrics is a piece of heaven. Let me know if I’m just an old man yelling at a cloud, or let me know what other classic movie soundtracks need to be remembered. As Stan Bush tells Daniel and Hot Rod, we need to “Dare” to champion the reemergence of the movie soundtrack.

RD

RD is the founder and Head Editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Listens to Kendrick Lamar's "Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers"

The other new record that I was looking forward to last week was the new Kendrick Lamar. It is called "Mr Morale and the Big Steppers".

I, like all his other fans, have been waiting for this record for five years. "DAMN" came out then, it was great, I believe that he won a Pulitzer for it and I listened to it on repeat for months. This record is a wonderful, ambitious, eye opening album. I literally cannot stop listening to the record. Every time I have some free time or down time, I put the album on and vibe out. The album has 18 songs on it and I wish there were more. The selfish side of me wants this album to go on forever and ever. It is so, so good. It is also deep. Kendrick Lamar has clearly been going through some things for the past five years and he lets it all out on this album. He is an open book. He reveals all. It is like the greatest hip hop therapy session ever recorded.

From start to finish this album is a hit. There is not a bad song on the record. The production value is second to none. The way the album flows from song to song is perfect. There is not a single wasted moment on it. Everything works. And it works so very well. I read a headline the other day that made me kind of scoff, but the more I listen the more the headline comes true. It simply read "Kendrick Lamar is Here to Save Hip Hop", and they are 100 percent correct. Modern hip hop, in my opinion, is not very good. There are a few good artists, but for the most part it is not great. I do not like Drake. I think he is very overrated. Kanye West needs therapy. He needs real help. Dababy is homophobic and transphobic. And not very good. Post Malone is trash. There are few exceptions, like Pusha T, but that is few and far between. What Kendrick Lamar does on "Mr Morale and the Big Steppers" gives me faith in modern hip hop.

Everyone who listens to this record has liked it. Artists galore are out here singing its praises. Not one of them has a bad thing to say about it. The same can be said for journalists and bloggers. We all love the record. It is so good. It is perfect. Kendrick crushes everything he does on here, and with him still out there doing his thing, maybe it will help energize some new up and coming young rappers. Maybe the artists that have hit will listen to this and realize that they too can make quality hip hop music. Take an artist like Baby Keem. I never listened to him before seeing he was on this record, and by checking him out now, you can hear the influence. There is hope, and Kendrick is here to push the younger artists in the right direction.

Getting back to the songs now, there is so much good on here and Kendrick is an open book. The opener, "United in Grief", hits. "Father Time" has him coming face to face with fatherhood. "We Cry Together" is what being in a toxic relationship has to be like in real life. "Purple Hearts" has a Ghostfast Killah feature, and the song rips. "Count Me Out" is Kendrick begging people to come for his crown. "Crown" is a great song about being the GOAT. "Savior" is another great song about Kendrick not being your savior, how he is just a dude. "Auntie Diaries" is a revelation. It is the best song on the record in my opinion. "Mr Morale" is perfect. And "Mother", followed by "Mirror" is the best way he could have ended this masterpiece.

This album is wonderful. It is one of the best records I have heard in quite some time. It will most likely be my number one album of 2022. But it is so much more than that. This is going to go down as a classic. Kendrick Lamar has cemented his place. He is one of the best of all time. "Mr Morale and the Big Steppers" further hammers that home. The wait was more than worth it. I love this record.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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